Syngenta, Bayer CropScience to develop HPPD-tolerant soybean trait

A HPPD-tolerant trait is under development in a colaboration between Syngenta and Bayer CropScience. The future trait will help soybean growers handle the growing weed resistance problems.

Growing weed resistance is driving the seed trait business. Syngenta and Bayer CropScience just announced that the two companies will collaborate on the development of an HPPD-herbicide-tolerant trait for soybeans. Adding HPPD-tolerance to the trait mix will help growers combat weed resistance, particularly to glyphosate.

The trait is in the early development and will not be launched in North America until the “second half of this decade,” according to a news release from Syngenta.

Syngenta’s Callisto, a popular HPPD herbicide, stands to benefit from the development of the new trait as will Bayer’s Balance and Laudis herbicides, both HPPD herbicides.

Both companies were quoted in the news release saying that the HPPD trait will be an important tool for soybean growers to combat weed resistance problems in the future.